The So Called Boy Who Lived
by Corvus Witch
Summary: A glimpse into a world where everything is not as it seems, least of all one innocent Harry Potter.


_**How it all Began**_

It started before Hogwarts. The soft voice in the back of his mind that would whisper him to sleep at night. Strange thoughts intruded upon him in daylight hours, having no reason, or particular focus. Dreams and memories danced across his brain at the oddest times, whether he was wake or sleeping. Dark, violent images raced through his mind on a regular basis. Because of these reasons, Harry was a strange child at 5 years old. Quiet, watchful, a far cry from the other children he often saw yelling wildly, running around, and being a general embarrassment to themselves and others. He quickly learned to distance himself from other children. Having no patience, no tolerance, no understanding of their natures. Harry's life at home only re-enforced these thoughts. His cousin, Dudley was allowed almost anything he wanted, while Harry was allowed nothing. Dudley got second and third helpings of food. Harry got the scraps of whatever he managed to sneak out of the trash can. Dudley got presents and toys. Harry was ignored, or given the broken pieces of whatever Dudley had destroyed. Dudley had his own large spacious room upstairs, while Harry crawled into the broom cupboard under the stairs at night. Dudley slept peacefully through the night, while Harry had terrifying nightmares he couldn't always remember. Dudley got to play with other children, and while Harry didn't care about this, he was forced to clean and help his Aunt Petunia cook. Dudley could throw fits and tantrums to get whatever he wanted. Harry tried this once and was soundly beaten for the attempt. So Harry learned at an early age that he was different from everyone else. He was less. He was a Freak, as his family often referred to him. He didn't deserve the things or privileges that his cousin got. He was Bad, and there was nothing he could do to change it. He was born that way because his mother and father were Freaks and Bad too. And so Harry rarely complained about his punishments, he was grateful when he was given anything at all and didn't think anything of it when he heard the first of the soft whispers that would forever alter his life.

In the beginning, the voice ignored him much like his family did. It never spoke to him directly, though it sometimes commented on the things that went on around Harry. The child soon became familiar with the word Muggle, though he didn't fully understand the meaning, he instantly picked up that it was something like the dirty words Dudley called him when his mother wasn't nearby. And so, like most children Harry mumbled such things like _stupid muggles, filthy muggles_, and the like under his breath when he was annoyed with anyone around him. Of course he made sure no one heard him. Dudley had been overheard by his mother once, and his mouth had been promptly filled with nasty bar soap for an hour. Harry had secretly enjoyed hearing the other boy cry and wail the entire time, but he'd learned, _never let them hear you. It wasn't until Harry was in school and did his first bit of uncontrolled magic that the voice suddenly focused its attention on him. Still, it didn't speak to him directly, not right away, instead it just passively watched the many games of Harry Hunting, the neglect and ignorance of his teachers and peers. When Harry woke from nightmares, he would find that the dream had extended into his wakefulness and continued right before his young frightened eyes. Over time the images dulled his sense of fear and revulsion. One evening, after another sound beating by his uncle for something his cousin had done, Harry took a strange new interest and curiosity in the gruesome images. He found after watching them in avid detail for a few weeks, that if he concentrated, the pictures of the nameless men and woman changed to the faces of his family instead. So Harry's nightmares slowly changed to pleasant dreams, where he could repay his dreadful family for the day's events in the safety of his own mind. The voice seemed to find amusement in this, and when Harry grew bored of a particular dream, offered him new ones to learn from. Harry often went to sleep excited and wondering what would be presented to him next. Thus began Harry's innocent education in vengeance, torture, and the strong foundation of his hatred for the world and muggles around him._


End file.
